Malian gov’t freezes jihadist, rebel leaders’ assets

APA-Bamako (Mali) This decision is part of the fight against terrorism being waged by the Malian government to re-establish peace and restore the state’s authority nationwide.

Already the subject of an international arrest warrant recently issued by the transitional authorities following the opening of an investigation into them last November, several jihadist and rebel
leaders have just had their “assets and economic resources” frozen “for a renewable period of six months.”

The announcement was made in a decree issued by the Ministry of the Economy on 8 March.

Among those subject to this financial sanction are the two renowned jihadist leaders, Iyad Ag Ghali, head of the Islam and Muslims Support Group, (GSIM) and Amadou Koufa, head of the Katiba Macina, also a member of the same alliance.

Four rebel leaders in particular are also targeted by this measure. They are Alghabass Ag
Intalla, Bilal Ag Acherif, Fahad Ag Almahmoud and Achafagui Ag Bouhada. All are members of the rebellion grouped within the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), which took up arms against the authorities in August 2023 following the occupation of the former UN Mission sites by the Malian armed forces.

The reasons given by the ministry for this measure are as follows: terrorist act by membership of a terrorist group with an intentional link to a terrorist undertaking; financing of terrorism; Illegal possession of weapons of war and munitions with an intentional link to a terrorist undertaking; attack on national unity; attack on territorial integrity; criminal conspiracy.

These charges are virtually identical to those used in the arrest warrants for the
individuals in question.

The aim of this decision is to curb the economic activities of the jihadist and rebel groups operating in Mali and to deprive their leaders of financial resources. These men are known to be at the head of armed movements responsible for numerous attacks against the Malian armed forces in the country. The authorities hope to weaken these groups and prevent them from carrying out their violent actions.

However, some observers are questioning the effectiveness of this measure. With the exception of Fahad Ag Almahamoud, most of those targeted had no real ties with Mali. In addition, since 2018, the UN, through its sanctions regime, has imposed measures such as asset freezes and travel bans on 8 people suspected of obstructing the peace process. However, these measures were hardly ever applied until the UN decided in September 2023 not to renew the sanctions regime in force in Mali following a Russian veto.

MD/ac/fss/as/APA